5-year-old boy breaks board with heel after several failed attempts as classmates cheer him on

ORLANDO - A 5-year-old boy named Phoenix learned the lesson of perseverance when he broke a wooden board with his foot after several failed attempts during his martial arts belt test.

In a video posted on Facebook by his mother Claudia Swonger, Phoenix tried to break the board two times before he got upset and started to cry. But his dojo and the children around him told him not to give up and encouraged him to try again.

Phoenix tried about three more times as the children began chanting his name. On his final attempt, he broke the piece of wood and caused the whole room to cheer loudly for his accomplishment.

The children jumped for joy and tackled Phoenix to the ground with hugs and pats on the back.

“My boy learned one of the most important lessons in his life today! Never, ever give up!” his mother said in the post.

Bobby Dixon’s American Martial Arts Academy, which is based in Orlando, Florida, also posted the video and said Phoenix wasn’t required to break the board for his yellow belt test, but that he wanted to.

“But if he decided to go through with it and failed, he would fail his belt test, keeping him at white belt,” the post said.

The academy went on to say that Phoenix did attempt to break the board earlier in the ceremony, but that he had failed. His dojo had him sit on the mat, holding his board until they gave him another try.

After breaking the board, Phoenix advanced to yellow belt.

“Fly high, Phoenix! The world is yours!” the academy said.